The Path to Ashes
by notesonlife
Summary: Drabble Collection. Neji says it's their fate. Tenten shows him nothing is secure like that. NejiTen. 017: Naruto's smirk reached ear to ear. "Next, whoever both gets twelve will kiss."
1. Sunrise

_Notes: Fate has really bothered me since a while back, so I redid it in Momentum, but it really didn't work. The only way to fix it was to shove it in hiatus, and to redo it, everything. So I basically reread some stuff, and rewrote them for what the themes were meant for – breathtaking moments. Not really much for the LJ comm anymore, more of enjoying little themes and having a restriction. Please enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, __nor__ any of the characters of the series._

* * *

He wakes before the crispness of spring can be tasted in the air and thus, the dullness of winter is still present on his skin. He waits, patiently it seems, but inside are the beginnings of a storm rising, expanding, filling him. He does not tolerate lateness. A perpetual frown is on his lips, he portrays no emotion. He remains still for what seems like years, sitting rigidly against the rough bark of an oak tree.

He is there when dewdrops are painted across the expanse of meadow; he is there when the first rays of sun illuminate the faces of the leaders of Konoha. He is there before the merchants and the villagers begin to wake from their slumber. He is there when she runs up the hill, late.

He opens his eyes and he sees her huffing, hands on her grass-stained knees, she must have fallen. Her elbows are scraped and her pants are a little too short for her growing body that he can see her ankles wet from the dew. Wisps of brown hair escape her loosely tied buns, hanging over her eyes and sticking to the nape of her neck. She has conveniently forgotten her scrolls at home, an excuse to return and tidy herself up.

He states her tardiness and she hangs her head, either to allow more oxygen to reach her lungs or in shame, he doesn't know which. Slowly he rises, hands shoving into his pockets as he stares at the sunrise, its newborn rays lazily sweeping over the sleeping village.

She looks up, and a strand of hair falls just between her eyes. She blows at it but it falls again over her eyes before impatiently brushing it away with her hand.

He allows himself the faintest of smiles at her imperfections.

She likes to watch him in the morning. His eyes seem more translucent then, and they seem to shimmer against the dew under their feet. She likes to feel the cool water between her toes, and often takes off her shoes as they walk together, to find a suitable training spot. His eyes always stare straight ahead, and she knows he can see her watching him.

It is usually then when Lee comes bounding up behind them, all bushy-eyed and cheery. She allows herself to avert her attention to him, and she smiles as Lee attempts to hook arms with him only to be brushed off impatiently.

It is these mornings that make them Team Gai, but it is sunrise that it is only Neji and Tenten.

* * *

_Note: This is the last time I'm rewriting this theme. Sorry, I didn't really like how I wrote the othe__r one in continued __oneshots__. ): Do you like this better? __Or not?_


	2. I watch your back as you walk away

Hyuuga Neji frowns. He hasn't seen her in a year at least, and he knows he has missed her. Watching her sit there, sipping carefully at her wine, eyes cast everywhere but at him. He glances at the woman he has escorted here, a pretty little blond, who is happily dancing with another man. He doesn't care, since he has rejected her countless times when she asks.

Swallowing his pride, he stands and walks over to his childhood teammate, remembering that it is usually _her_ walking over to him. Her eyes train on his, and she allows herself a faint polite smile. He stiffly sits down next to her, and they don't speak, just watch the couples dancing in front of them.

A soft melody begins to play, and he glances at her, and she closes her eyes and nods.

She sets her glass down elegantly, and he stands up to take her hand. It is a formal dance, but he knows she prefers the ones in the dark murky clubs with blaring lyrics and hard alcohol. However, tonight she is the epitome of grace, and he cups his hand at her waist gently.

As soon as they are dancing, he cannot help but ask, with the slight tinge of bitterness in his voice, "Why did you leave?"

"I couldn't stay," she replies simply.

He frowns, eyes fixed on hers.

"Lee missed you," he says, unable to say _I missed you_.

"I know," she sighs.

"Will you be staying?"

She shakes her head, and his grip tightens, if only for a moment. The dance ends, and her hands drop from his shoulders and his from her waist.

"Goodnight, Neji," she lifts her head to kiss him on the cheek. He can only breathe the faint perfume on her skin. Then she turns, and he can only watch her walk away and not look back.

* * *

_Note: I didn't really like this so much, but this was a __hardish__ theme._


	3. You're good at what you do

She likes to watch the Kaiten. It is like a dance, the way he turns and twists, and her beloved projectiles fly away from him, and embed into the trees around them and she hurls more at the slightest openings. She knows she fights dirty, risking herself in dangerous situations to evoke pity. But pity is lack thereof, and he strikes just as soundly and she pushes back and swipes at a defenseless limb, and they're still sparring like spits of flame dancing in a hearth.

She likes to run her fingers through his hair. The first time he looks at her like she has three heads but doesn't comment, and she supposes she can continue. His hair is silky and tangle-free, and she sighs and mutters about his lack of split ends and she can feel the whisper of a smile on her lips.

She likes to watch him meditate. It's through the corners of her eyes and she knows his eyes are closed yet he is not at ease, his fingers are too tense, his arms are strongly anchored, not the looseness needed for meditation. He says she's good at that, not him, and she blushes and asks him why he does it then. He merely replies he thinks then. She leaves it at that.

She likes to battle alongside him. His eyes are darker and stormy gray, and his fists gleam a light blue, intense condensed energy in one fist. She tries not to look at him as she's fighting off her own shinobi, but she makes sure her battle is in his blind spot, and occasionally flickers past it so he knows she's still alive.

He doesn't doubt her abilities, and that is what she admires the most about him.

* * *

_Notes: I dearly love pointless drabbles like this. (: Comments would be appreciated. Also, the themes I used, are the chapter titles._


	4. Body language

Her hands fold over her lap, and she gazes steadily at him. An eaten dango stick hangs loosely from her lips, and it jerks up just before it falls. She stares at him, and he stares back, and then she grunts, a low, unfeminine sound, opening her mouth to allow the stick to fall on the empty plate.

She scratches her head, the buns bobbing loosely as strands escape their hold to hang over her bangs and into her eyes. She brushes them away, wiping the saliva from the corner of her mouth with a bare arm and her hands shove the table, making her chair skid back with a screech against the polished floor.

She's wearing an elaborate kimono for his cousin's traditional wedding.

He watches her awkward gait (the torn ligament hasn't fully healed yet) and her feet are bare and shuffling across the floor. He can see that the heels are a little dirty. She tries to roll up the loose sleeves, but they only fall back down. She slides the door open with a clanging pop, steps in, the heavy bow sags a little, and she turns unsteadily and scrunches her nose at him, before slamming it shut again.

He can hear the Hyuuga servants exasperatedly chastising her for wrinkling her kimono.

He consciously makes the effort to not smile, and Shikamaru stirs next to him. Neji massages his temples as Tenten goes through plan A, B, and C… which are screaming, threatening, and begging respectively.

Shikamaru asks why he deals with such a troublesome woman. Neji mutters that he had no choice.

It's a lie, his insides say, when a ruffled and weary servant slightly opens the door to call him in.

His breath is gone when he stares at her, brown hair done in perfect waves down her shoulders, lips painted red, kimono fitting tightly against her body, the red bow framing her like a big present only for him. She crosses her arms and she sticks her tongue at him, and he knows she'll want it off as soon as physically possible, which he will take the honor upon completing later that night.

But for now, he will indulge in her beauty as her body language says otherwise.

* * *

_Notes: I love Shikamaru. If anyone wanted to know, the themes are the chapter titles. (:_


	5. The look in your eyes

The first time he meets her, her eyes are a light amber tint, and she smiles at him with a wide-eyed doe-like expression. He can't help but fall in love with those eyes.

When they train, her eyes flash with the glisten of her knives, and she stays innocent and naïve to the world, dancing with her knives.

Of Team Gai, Tenten is the first to kill. They are Genin and ambushed, and Neji's down with a poisoned kunai in one thigh and Gai is fending off enemies who lunge at an unconscious Lee. One shinobi is getting closer to Neji, and the poison is already slowing down his reflexes, so he barely gets into stance to fend him off. Neji tenses, ready for the blow, but all he sees is a crescent of blood splatter across him as the shinobi's head is practically cleaved off. The body crumples, and standing there instead is a shaking Tenten, a katana held in both hands. Her eyes are wide and she's drenched in the enemy's blood. Neji can only stare at her eyes, as her pupils dilate and she sinks to her knees.

Tenten has lost her innocence.

The amber color in her eyes get darker every time she kills, until they are the color of mud, and even when she is caked in blood of her foes, she doesn't blink when she slices the next neck. She is still beautiful in the moonlight, an ANBU, loose strands falling over her prominent cheekbones. She surveys the area, a tight line across her lips.

Neji doesn't like it, discomfort heavy in his heart to see Tenten's once lively eyes dead. She shoots a cool glance at him, and comments that his eyes will always stay that pale grey color no matter how many times he taints blood into the air.

They never truly lighten after that, even in the sun. But she never truly smiles either.

* * *

_Notes: So angsty. I promise to lighten up the next one._


	6. Clear blue skies

Tenten lifts her hands to the skies and stares at her fingers. She is lying in the grass in very little clothing, her shirt pulled up to reveal a flat abdomen, letting the grass tickle her skin. Neji looks down at her, a distasteful frown on his lips. Tenten turns her head away from the sun, closing her eyes.

"Mm… Neji, come sit next to me."

Tenten is lying so provocatively in that vulnerable position, but he grudgingly settles himself next to her, back straight and eyes up at the sky. Tenten's hand trails up his back, sending shivers down his spine at the light and innocent touch. She finds amusement in playing with the ends of his hair, often commenting how soft it was (he keeps it long for tradition). He figures it will be knotty now that her curious fingers have been tugging and twirling.

He wonders how many more days it will be like this.

That is, until he feels the weight of the fingers holding a lock of his hair disappear, and whips his head back to find Tenten scrambling up, kunai in one hand and strands of his hair in the other.

She's sprinting barefoot and Neji gets a good view of backside as he tackles her to the ground, wrestling the kunai out of her hands, his shortly-mourned hair releasing from her fingers. Tenten yelps and gnaws at his arm playfully, kicking and grinning so infectiously Neji finds himself nuzzling his face into her neck, listening to the erratic pulse and the vibrations of her laughter at the base of her throat.

"Neji! That tickles!" she shrieks, and he pins her down, a deep chuckle reverberating from his own throat. He then presses his lips to hers, and Tenten's hands are back in his hair, but this time she's gripping hard.

When they separate, they are panting and their lips are a shade darker than obvious. Neji rolls off of her, and his hand settles at the small of her back, fingers barely touching skin.

"If you continue to do this, my hair will be as short as Naruto's," he complains, pulling her hair out of its bindings and staring up at the sky.

Tenten grins up at him, "C'mon Neji, a little bit of your hair was worth it."

He grunts in reply, and lifts the hand intertwined with hers towards the sky, gazing at their fingers.

* * *

_Done. (: These things really need more plot.  
_


	7. Tangled in the sheets

Neji awoke in the most pleasant way possible, the warmth of a woman beside him and the freshness of clean linen sheets. His fingers traced down the sleeping form beside him, fluttering by the swell of her chest and the curve of her hips. She yawned, flopping onto her backside. He combed his fingers through what should be a messy tangle of brown waves, knotty and stringy from last night's activities. Instead, it was jet black and silky strands, like running water through his fingers. It was cool like river water, and he brought a lock up to his face, breathing in the scent of flowers. Her neck was pale, and Neji traced the place where a scar of a knife held against her throat should have been. Instead he felt warm, smooth as porcelain skin. His palm cupped her slender shoulder, too thin to be that of a fighting kunoichi.

His fingers tickled down her back, scarless, and he remembered the angry dark one that should have marked her skin, when she broke her back against a metal fan back when they were young. His hand brushed against her spinal cord, to rest at the small of her back.

She turned around to smile up at him, a beautiful face and dark eyes and a small, perfect mouth. Neji gazed down apathetically.

"Good morning," she mumbled and he sighed, removing his fingers from her skin.

He wondered where Tenten was.

Neji was out of the apartment in less than ten minutes, with not even a halfhearted promise of returning anytime soon. She will welcome him back again; she was a shallow woman like that.

His legs finally stopped after he had broken into Tenten's house, intercepted four traps (and one horrible attempt at one, and he scoffed at her laziness), and stood outside of Tenten's room, where he placed a hand on the doorknob and let himself in. Instantly three kunai sailed for his heart, neck, and abdomen in precise accuracy. He caught them effortlessly as he heard a yelp and a thud.

He smiled for the first time that morning, looking down at the girl sprawled awkwardly on the floor, head against the floor and legs tangled in her pink (and much too childish) sheets. She lifted her face off the ground, scrunching her nose at him, mouth curling in a mock frown. Her face was grubby from coming home late last night, exhausted from a mission, too tired to shower. Her hair was probably still matted with blood. He noticed the pile of clothing she left effortlessly on the floor, caked with blood. How many shinobi did she kill while he was with another woman? Guilt sank heavy in his heart.

She was wearing nothing but her underwear and a long shirt, dried bloodstains from neglecting her wounds. They will scar, but her body was already marred by so many, she didn't very much care for a few more. Neji came over to her, inspected her skin, caked in lines of dried red, and sighed. He missed her.

Tenten rubbed at her eyes, and grinned up at him, much too wide and bright for a kunoichi (no, right now, just a girl) who killed the night before.

She leaned into him, resting her head in his shoulder. He could only smell the blood and the exhaustion on her body.

"You were with her, last night," she mumbled, steadily falling back asleep on his shoulder. He rubbed her back, and she settled herself in his arms, on the hardwood floor, a blanket thrown off.

"I wouldn't, if you started caring," he said, when she was asleep. She didn't hear him, and he watched the sun rise higher in the sky from the tiny window, Tenten wrapped in his arms. This is what he wanted.


	8. The way you walk

They are ten, still in the Academy, when the kunoichi teacher tells all the girls in the class to wear heels for a week. Neji only watches as his companion kicks off her shoes, grumbling, and slipping her small feet into the simple pink heels. They aren't very fancy, about 5 centimeters long, a "kitten heel" in comparison to the other girls, faring 8 or 10 centimeters. Tenten mumbles under her breath that this task was useless.

Neji is a good couple meters away, arms crossed and merely watching her attempt to stand gracefully.

After she takes her first few wobbly steps, arms outstretched as if she was on a balance beam, her gait awkward, she looks up at him and grins. She lowers her arms and walks to him normally, lands unstably, her ankle giving out, and falls forward.

He instantly steps forward and catches her in his arms, her body thin and warm and _heavy_ and her face against his chest. He breathes her fresh wooden scent, something he's only catched in glimpse before and he never knew is so comforting. When she's back on her feet her cheeks are flushed pink and she's apologizing sheepishly, he thinks this is a good look on her. Ten-year-old Neji decides that this assignment is not so bad after all.

He holds Tenten's arm as she wobbles to the door.

* * *

They are twenty now, long since out of the Academy, when the Rokudaime tells them they have a mission, and it requires going undercover at first. Neji again watches his companion sigh, grumbling, pulling the sleek, black stilettos out of her closet. The heel is over 12 centimeters long, and it doesn't look at all sturdy. She slips them on with ease, turning her legs in to stand up gracefully. She is slightly taller than him now, and she is amused at this fact. Then she walks with long strides to the mirror, as if she has done it her entire life, and Neji can only stare at her legs, which seem much longer and leaner under the short dress. His eyes linger too long and Tenten catches his gaze, and he apologizes sheepishly. He wonders how comfortable Tenten really is, but she grins at him as if they were training as teens, not on a high-profile rank-A mission.

This time she walks to him, and doesn't trip. His hart pangs in nostalgia, and he wraps his arms around her and breathes in the musky perfume scent, heavy on her skin. She chuckles, her lips tickling his ear, and he let go of her, stepping back. He didn't usually make such a move on his partner.

She smiles softly, and whispers that she is going ahead, before turning and walking out the door, without his help.

Twenty-year-old Neji decides that he doesn't like this mission at all.

That is, until Tenten manages to defeat three shinobi in them (although he had felt bad for the last one, who was ultimately kicked in the face with one of her heels).

* * *

_Notes: awww fluff. sorry I'm an epically bad updater.  
_


	9. Flushed cheeks

After the Sound Invasion, Sasuke's departure, and consequently Naruto's, the remaining Rookie 12 busied themselves with all the piling work that needed to bring Konoha back on track. Tsunade had ordered them to take a break and they were all more than happy to take it. An evening of relaxation was just the cure for these weary shinobi.

Ino purred as she stretched in the hot water, giggling. Sakura managed to smile, trying to relieve her worried mind of her two teammates, and Hinata sat demurely in her towel, only her feet in the water.

Tenten grinned, dropping her whole body into the hot bath to take a soak. She let out a sigh, closing her eyes and letting her muscles tingle with the alleviating effects of the bath.

It only lasted for a minute or so, until Sakura screamed as Ino splashed water at her. It commenced into a water fight and Tenten laughed, wadding over to the shocked Hinata.

"Ne, Hinata-chan, you should get in the water, it's quite warm."

Hinata looked uncomfortable, stuttering something before Tenten had already pulled her in. She squeaked in surprise and Tenten moved to join into the water fight.

* * *

On the other side, Kiba smirked.

"Do you hear that? The girls are having fun," he howled, "I want to see!"

Neji really was here to relax, which really didn't work for the fact that even though there wasn't Naruto, there was Kiba and Lee.

Lee jumped up, towel hanging from his hips, "But that is such a shameful act! The girls are modest flowers that our eyes are unfit to see."

"Ino ahhhh," Sakura moaned and Lee turned pink. Kiba's smirk widened.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "This is so troublesome."

Ino's shrill voice rose, "Tenten-chan, your towel!"

Neji stiffened. His mind instantly formed images and he slammed his eyes shut, making sure not to accidently open his Byakugan.

"Eh, we're all girls," Tenten replied.

Kiba wolfwhistled, "It doesn't usually come to mind, but Tenten does have more curves than the rest of them. Her hair must be down now, that'd be nice…"

Neji glared at the mutt. He stood up, water rushing down his body, and Kiba smirked.

"Hyuuga, you _want_ to see Tenten-chan in only a towel, ne?"

"Oh kami-sama," Shikamaru groaned.

Lee exchanged glances with Kiba and piped up, "You should have seen Neji's face when he woke up in the hospital to find Tenten there."

Neji clenched his fists. Lee was going to die.

Kiba sneered, "So this Hyuuga does have feelings, especially for his…"

"Byakugan!"

He didn't get to finish before Lee grabbed him out of the way of Neji's impending fist, glowing with blue chakra. He narrowly missed, slamming into the wall separating the two baths. He didn't expect to make a giant hole in the wood, or for it to just crumble like sand.

* * *

There standing in front of him was Tenten wrapped in a damp towel. Her hair was unbound and falling down her shoulders, the towel hugging curves he didn't know existed (but he had admittedly imagined).

He deactivated his Byakugan, returning into the world of color and she was staring at him, mouth open. Her cheeks were dusted pink and her fingers were shaking. Neji cleared his throat, straightening.

Ino, Sakura, and Hinata stared from behind, and Kiba leered from behind the wall.

"Neji," Tenten said calmly, adjusting the towel around her torso and walking towards him. It barely just covered her rear end, Neji noted, watching the sashay of her hips.

"…Hn."

He wasn't sure if the blood that came out of his nose was from his sickly perverted mind or Tenten's fist.

* * *

_Notes: Well this is just part one. There's another drabble following this, so yeah. (:  
_


	10. Intoxicating

_Notes: Based on a chapter of SA, a very cute and funny manga. Definitely reccommend it. A bit of a part 2 of the last chapter. haha._

**

* * *

**_Great_. He thought, sitting alone in his rented room on the resort. Even Lee had left his company, too ashamed of Neji's "antics" a few hours before.

He rubbed at his still sore nose, sniffing, before settling back to his meditation pose. Luckily, the loss of blood was not too much for him to pass out, but he had forgotten how strong Tenten could punch. He listened to the squeals of the girls during their game. They, of course, didn't invite him.

Tenten was usually the one that included him on games, but of course, right now she was not in the mood. Not like anyone except Lee (and maybe Kiba) would welcome him. Those girls (even Hinata) had sent him stares that burned so bad they even trumped the infamous Hyuuga glare.

There were a clink of bottles, and then he heard Tenten's voice shriek, "LEE NO!"

He bolted up from his meditative pose, the other shinobi did _not_ know what they were cut out for if they saw Lee right now. He sprinted, skidding towards the room and forcing the door open with a bang.

Lee looked up at him with bright eyes and grinned.

"Neji! You've decided to join us!"

Neji eyed the bottle on the ground, on its side and empty.

Sakura glanced at Neji, and bit her lower lip.

"Tenten took it…"

Neji's eyes fell to the girl lying on the floor, her toned tan legs sprawled provocatively, her robe half-opened to reveal an incredible amount of skin. All the color drained from his face. Tenten struggled with a groan to sit up, took one look at Neji and bellowed.

"HYUUGA NEJI!"

Neji turned on his heel and sprinted.

Activating the Byakugan, he just missed a shuriken aimed at his blind spot (Tenten was serious) cutting off strands of his hair. Kiba and Lee tackled Tenten down and Sakura scurried after Neji.

"What is with her?!" Sakura squeaked, panting as Neji slowed down. He deactivated his Byakugan, returning to the world of color. He shook his head. Tenten was drunk, and she was just about to kill him.

Sakura pulled his robe, "Go hide in the basement Neji, for your own safety!"

* * *

_Even better._

So Neji was hiding in the damp basement from his female teammate, who was drunk and most likely on a rampage. This was just preposterous, but he mourned the strands of hair cut short by Tenten. If he was to defend his pride (and his locks) he would have to fight her seriously, his partner of all people.

Well, Kiba and Lee had taken her down (a part of him was still irked by the fact that Kiba was in physical contact with her) so she was probably knocked out and asleep right now, right?

Neji assured himself this.

That is, until there was a ticking at the door.

He cursed under his breath, forcing himself against the wall as the door blasted open.

She was here.

Neji swung around, moving his leg back into stance, tensing. He would just have to shut some tenketsu and carry her back to the others, unconscious.

The figure walked towards him through the dust, still shady. He squinted, the debris heavy in the air, filling his lungs.

There stood Tenten, her hair down and glistening with specks of metal from the door. Her robe was falling off one shoulder, a slender neck and collarbone. She looked at him with those dark chocolate eyes. Neji lowered his arms.

"Neji, now we're alone," Tenten smiled then, a pang reverberating in Neji's chest. Inwardly, he cowered.

Tenten came closer, dropping the knives from various parts of her robe. He eyed the way the thick ribbon around her waist had loosened, her robe only brushing her knees. Neji had backed up into the wall, but Tenten was looking absolutely defenseless.

"Tenten?" he said tentatively, "How'd you get away?"

She only smiled up at him, "I pretended I had fallen asleep after drinking the sake, so they left to continue the game and I snuck down here. The door was locked so I had some explosives on me so I just set those off."

He blinked and Tenten moved closer, that beautiful smile still on her face.

"Neji I know you didn't mean to peek, and everyone wasn't being fair to you so we haven't been able to be alone since we got here…"

Neji looked up at the ceiling, begging the gods to restrain himself.

Tenten repeated his name once more and he couldn't stand it, he apologized silently, and pulled the girl to him. She seemed to meld with his body, and his fingers brushed against warm skin of her shoulder, the other lost in her soft waves. He could taste the sake on her lips, but his mind was hazy, in complete euphoria.

Tenten took his face in her hands, pulling away and she smiled again, "Neji, I like you."

* * *

"And afterwards, Tenten-chan told me in the softest, cutest voice, 'I like you, Lee', and I swear I would have lost my passion for Sakura!"

Kiba howled, "How could I have fallen asleep then?!"

A vessel would have popped in Neji's temple if he didn't stand and attempt to murder the two.

"Neji what the hell are you doing?" Tenten had come up behind him, her arms around his chest, restraining him from beating the crap out of their teammate. Neji stopped, feeling himself burn up. He turned to face her, trying not to lean down and kiss her again.

"Tenten, do you remember anything last night?"

Tenten looked up at him with those wide doe-like eyes.

"Not after the card game, no."

* * *

_Notes: Poor poor Neji._


	11. Asleep on the couch

Tenten stumbled to the doorway, fingers clinging onto the waistline of Neji's jacket. Not that Neji was in much greater condition, his arm secure around her hips, and his lips fairly occupied. They fumbled in the darkness, heavy panting.

He nipped at her neck as she mumbled to herself, fingering the keys as she slid each one in to find which one unlocked her door. Neji hit a sensitive spot at the nape of her neck, and Tenten moaned in the darkness.

She turned the knob abruptly and the two of them almost fell in. Tenten stepped out of her shoes while Neji began peeling away at both of their clothing. They made their way to the living room, before they tumbled onto the couch, hands touching everywhere.

She panted low as Neji attacked her neck again, following down her bosom, "Are they gone?"

In the darkness, she could not see the lines of his Byakagun, as his lips trailed her bare skin, coming close to her racing heart. Her fingers brushed against the veins, and then he was suddenly still, motionless. Tenten bit her lip, instantly dropping her arms. She had crossed the line now, lost in this faux passion.

Finally Neji let out a long breath, tickling her collarbone, the strands of his hair falling down to brush her shoulders.

"They left."

Tenten smiled knowing that somehow Neji could see. She could feel the presence of the Byakagun fade (because she's been with Neji so long that when he activated it she felt the air become suddenly sharper) and his tenseness was finally letting go of its hold. To the extent of their mission, there were enemy ninjas trailing them, suspicious that they were not a newly-wed couple as Neji and Tenten claimed. Their intuition was correct, however these ninja were low rank or highly incapable if they had given up so early on.

Neji held himself off of her by his arms, and Tenten yawned.

"Well, I'd say that's a mission complete," she mumbled, and he nodded, carefully pulling himself off her. He went to get a blanket, and soon enough he had almost tenderly (but that was so un-Neji-like that she thought it was a figment of her imagination) covered Tenten.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Tenten could feel the exhaustion reach her limbs, her eyes were already fluttering shut, and the alcohol in her system did no help in keeping her awake any longer.

Before he could answer she was asleep.

* * *

Neji woke up first with a throbbing headache. Where was Tenten?

He sat up finding himself alone in their rented hotel bed. The sheets were clean and crisp, but Tenten was not sleeping soundly beside him. He stood up, letting out a groggy groan, before walking towards the living room, and his eyes met the sleeping figure on the couch. She had snuggled into the blankets, still wearing the makeup and the perfume and slinky black dress from the night before. He didn't comprehend how he had resisted her, especially so inebriated, and he grimly patted himself on the back.

He walked over to her, taking a swig of the cold coffee left on the table from the morning before. He vaguely remembered Tenten moaning underneath him on the couch, and when her cool fingers touched his sensitive Byakugan, all his senses had suddenly burst in fire and it took all the composure he possessed in such a drunken state from not taking her right then and there.

He sighed, sitting on the couch directly across, fingers locked and his eyes watching the sleeping form.

It really was the hardest, being in love with his closest companion.

* * *

_Notes: haha these little drabbles are fun, so plotless. comments would be appreciated._


	12. Pretty in pink

It didn't help that he was in a suit. He had just gotten off from work, and didn't have time to go home and change. He stood awkwardly in the lobby while young children and parents were scurrying about, trying to get to the right place in time, behind stage, into costumes. Some fathers gave him a sympathetic look, and one old lady asked which part was his daughter in. He said he didn't have a daughter but she only laughed at him and asked what he was doing here in the first place. He wasn't quite sure either.

He called her cell phone, but she didn't pick up. He was getting a bit irritated now, and ended up calling Ino, who answered with a hasty and stressed, "What do you want?"

"Put Tenten on the phone."

He heard Ino yell to Tenten, and then muttered into the phone that the latter was helping some girls put bobby pins in their hair and not overdo their makeup.

"Tell her to meet me in the lobby."

Ino yelled this across the room, and then a few moments later, he heard the all-familiar voice on the phone of Tenten, out of breath.

"Hey Neji didn't know you were going to make it!" he could just feel her smile in the tone of her voice, and it lessened his uneasy irritation. He eased up against the windowsill, looking down at nowhere as he listened to Tenten chatter.

"Meet me in the lobby," he said quietly, and Tenten laughed, "Oh yeah I forgot I still have to give you your ticket!"

She said her goodbyes and hung up before Neji could say anything. He looked around the crowded lobby, pretending that he was supposed to be there, he was not out of place, and then he caught her figure. She was wearing what looked like a pink tutu around her waist, which fluffed out in all directions in its sparkly glory. Her pink torso was lined with more frills, and her white tights emphasized her long lean legs. She was waifish in her movements, a pink nymph straight out of Shakespeare.

As she got closer, he noticed the thick crimson red lipstick and the dark eye makeup.

He snickered, eyes amused. Tenten huffed indignantly.

"Yeah I know I look like I'm twelve, shut up," she growled, and Neji smirked, his hand moving up to touch the surprisingly hard bun that all her hair was in. She scrunched her nose, swatting his hand away as it traveled down to her shoulder.

"Neji," she mumbled as he was progressively holding her closer, "this is _not_ the place to be doing this."

He frowned, and Tenten shoved the ticket into his palm, throwing up a grin. He looked at the ticket printed on yellow construction paper as Tenten kissed his cheek and disappeared back to the changing room.

* * *

She was beautiful when she danced. Ballet was her specialty he knew, but he saw her in that pretty, pink tutu during her painful and graceful Pointe dance. It was mystifying, and although he sat in the back his eyesight has always been good. Although she was performing with the other teachers of Konoha Dance Academy, he knew she stood out. Her beautiful lithe limbs splayed out and up to the melody, and she was truly shining. There was a wide smile on her lips, he thought her eyes had fluttered shut when she danced, she knew the movements, the placement in the darkness behind her eyes.

* * *

They were supposed to go out for ice cream later, he waited in the lobby until the crowds had already mingled out, until there were only a few teachers and enthusiastic mothers left. Tenten came out holding the hand of a sniffling girl, eyes red from crying. Neji noticed she was no longer wearing that pink tutu (it would probably not fit in the car) and was in her white tights, nude leotard and a long overcoat. Her hair was still in its perfect condition, her makeup a bit worn out.

"Moegi-chan's mother had to go home early because her baby sister got sick," Tenten explained. "Can we take her home after ice cream?"

Neji looked down at the girl, her baby blue tutu already deflating. His features softened and Neji nodded and Tenten smiled, relieved. He shrugged, jiggling his keys as they walked out of the school to his parked car. Moegi had marveled at it, saying that she wished her daddy had a car like this. She climbed in enthusiastically in the back as Tenten reminded her to wear her seatbelt as she gracefully slid into the passenger side. Neji started the car, and Tenten touched his shoulder as she looked back and asked what kind of ice cream Moegi wanted.

"Mint chocolate chip!" the young girl chirped and a smirk flitted over Neji's mouth. Tenten chuckled, commenting, "You know, Moegi-chan, that's Neji's favorite flavor."

Neji held back from rolling his eyes and Moegi suddenly became curious.

"Ne, Tenten-san, are you dating Neji-san?"

Tenten flushed scarlet and Neji stiffened involuntarily. Tenten giggled, her childish tinkle, and nodded, whispering in a mocking way, "Yes, but he doesn't know it."

Moegi giggled along, "My mommy and daddy are married but all they do is bicker. Maybe one day I'll meet a nice boy and then I can be all grown-up like you and Neji-san."

Neji chuckled softly, as Tenten blushed prettily and turned forward.

"Make sure you wear pink tutus a lot."

* * *

_Cheeky._


	13. Soft whisperings

"Hyuuga Neji and Tenten," Shikamaru mused. "Well, it's obvious Neji can't get enough of her. Always the possessive types, those Hyuuga alpha males. Didn't like any man looking at her the wrong way, made his nerves bristle. He didn't even like Lee being that close to her, but that's the Hyuuga for you. Obviously Tenten would do often to provoke him, but the same was not applied the opposite. I wonder if Neji even looks at any other woman."

Ino would agree. "It's because he doesn't need any other woman, he's _faithful_." This was said with a rather dark look at the man beside her. Shikamaru didn't even blink. Ino sniffed, and continued, "Hey, but the two even broke up before over it, well actually, Tenten ended things with Neji. Said something about him restricting her. Neji didn't even believe it at first, and then mentally tortured himself for weeks, even started stalking Tenten."

"He's crazy," Shikamaru rolled his eyes as Ino, who had her arms crossed over her chest, looking down disdainfully at her boyfriend.

"But it's cute though," she insisted. "It shows you that he's madly in _love_ with Tenten. Can't say the same about you, lazy-ass."

Shikamaru would just grunt, laying his head back down. "Obviously they got back together, partly because Neji practically begged his way back."

"More like he just showed up at her door and Tenten realized that she loved him just as much."

"As much as her freedom?" Shikamaru tested, his voice muffled.

Ino scoffed, "Probably more, and that's a lot, considering Tenten. You don't have much freedom when you're in love."

Shikamaru didn't say anything, only groaned as Ino kicked him underneath the table.

"You think that guy with the stick up his ass actually has feelings. I caught them once making out in the bathroom! Tenten was propped up on the bathroom sink, shirt almost all the way off, and Neji's pants were loose. Who would've known what they've done…" Ino giggled.

"Neji brought her home to the family often," Shikamaru said. "Naruto used to bemoan about it, how the Hyuugas hated him but approved greatly of her…"

"They wouldn't hate her. They saw the same qualities Neji did, and they definitely wouldn't get on Neji's bad side…" Ino said, "And besides, anyone that can whip Neji is good enough for even the strictest Hyuuga."

"You should see them argue. You think they're talking calmly, until Neji goes into the forest and decimates three-quarters of it," Shikamaru countered.

"They do make up later," Ino said, smiling and ruffling Shikamaru's hair. At least he didn't attempt to blow up half of Konoha. "I know Tenten always apologizes first, because she's got decency."

"And then again, Hyuuga's stupid ego never really does deflate."

Ino had nothing to say to that.

* * *

_Pointless._


	14. Wind in your hair

"Oh, shit!"

They were Chuunin. Neji snapped his head back to the swirls of dust, the wind had picked the particles up to braise his face and eyes and skin. One of Tenten's hands was clenched to the toppling right bun of her hair, and the soft, inaudible clink was heard between the shudders of the wind.

"Just let it go," Neji hissed through clench teeth, not particularly desiring dust to build up in the back of his throat. Tenten looked at him through squinted eyes and nodded, obediently taking a hand off her hair and letting it blow in the wind. Neji had already given up on keeping his tied.

Gai and Lee had already bounded to the front, mere shadows in the dust but looked like they were waving forward excitedly.

A few more steps, pressing against the wall of nature, and suddenly, the wind lifted. Tenten huffed next to him. Neji glanced over to see that both of her buns had relieved themselves, forming a tangle around her shoulders. Tenten took one look at him, his hair, and groaned, pulling a brush out of her bag to oblige to the tedious duty of untangling the knots in her wavy mousy hair. Neji only observed quietly, and a little bit self-consciously, lifted his own hand to pat his head.

Gai and Lee were already looking at something with adamant amusement, both not particularly ready to return to the dull life at home. Neji, on the opposite, urgently wished to return, both to the soft dewy training grounds and to the simple, regular lifestyle of shifts and Hyuuga duties.

Tenten had already taken out her already mostly depleted water canvas to pour the rest on her hair.

"Is that a necessary waste of water?" he commented.

Tenten sighed, a sound that meant he would never understand. He continued to watch as Tenten brushed her hair back, her nose scrunching up at a particularly difficult knot, but was continuing with not much luck.

"Let me do it," Neji finally said, watching her had left him considerable amusement, but he knew Tenten was getting tense with him just staring. Tenten's brows furrowed for a moment, but she wordlessly handed the brush over. Neji sat her down on an empty stump, and began the slow, tidy process of fixing the tangles, his fingers working along the way.

It was slightly comforting, the waves of coarse brown through his fingers. He had been so focused on his work that it took him a second to process when Tenten had turned her head and muttered, embarrassed, "I think that's enough, Neji."

He returned the brush, pensive. Tenten moved over on the stump and he settled next to her, and they both watched their teammate and sensei shout promises of glory and continue a rigorous exercise regimen.

"We should return home tomorrow afternoon," Tenten said.

"I'd expect so, even with these extended breaks," he replied, and Tenten looked at him, a grin curling on her face. Before Neji could move, Tenten had already tangled her brush in his hair, working her quick, deft fingers across his scalp. Neji gave in almost immediately, sighing in defeat. Tenten hummed above him.

Team Gai, in the safety net from the terrible wind, one they would have to greet again.

* * *

_Notes: Yeah I know, I keep having such damn long hiatuses. Well, I'm currently in the process of writing Temptations, so I'll finish that off. Hanamachi, oh dear, is quite a work._


	15. Amazing kiss

They were coming back from a successful A-rank, adrenaline still pumping through their veins and in their ears. Gai-sensei and Lee had gone about the forest to do some midnight proclamations of youth, as well as some logs for a fire. Tenten had promptly lay down in the middle of clearing, staring up at the stars overhead and her smile was wide and visible in the darkness. Neji lay down beside her and together they looked dizzily up in comfortable silence.

She had irritably taken out her buns letting her tangled hair fold out on the grass. One of his hands instinctively touched her coarse curls. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"We're almost home."

When she opened her eyes, she grinned at Neji.

"I _cannot_ wait to go home and take that shower!" she yawned, stretching her limbs and almost purred. The second later, when she turned to look at Neji he had been kissing her.

And surprisingly, she did not push him away. Neji's (who does indeed have hormones, despite popular opinion) brain went on overdrive. He cupped Tenten's face gently, pulling her slightly closer to him. She made a little noise but that didn't register too far in his mind. Then her mouth opened (a muffled gasp?) and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue in.

_Was he her first kiss?_

Neji, has in fact read Icha Icha Paradise; it was assigned mandatory for both Neji and Lee by Gai-sensei, since the idiot believed that it was a secret manual code for amazing ninja techniques (because why else would Kakashi read it so intimately?). And his highly intelligent mind was very clearly remembering the graphic details of certain techniques…

Tenten didn't prove to be that experienced but her tongue lashed out against his. He tried to control the kiss by holding onto her tighter, as difficult it was as both were sideways on the ground. Therefore, he took the upper hand and gently pushed her onto her back, never breaking the kiss. He breathed in through his nose, his tongue running against her lip, coaxing for entrance again. Tenten shivered underneath him and he almost smirked. Neji explored the crevices of her mouth, taking his sweet time to taste her.

It was around then that he noticed her fingers were digging into his shoulder and this slack in focus gave her enough momentum to push him away. Her face was very red and her eyes averted. Neji merely frowned.

"Sorry," he murmured. "If this displeases you…"

She looked up at him again, bit her lower lip, and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before scrambling to her feet. Tenten's voice was high and breathless as she stammered, "Uh… I'm going to check up on Lee and Gai-sensei."

Neji let out a breath as she disappeared, falling back down into the grass. He allowed his breathing to fall to a steady pace and he smiled to himself.

This A-rank mission was pretty successful.

* * *

_Notes: Just trying to get back in. I don't think I'll be back for a while, I'm just going to finish this series. Sorry guys for the ghastly inability to update._


	16. Hands

Tenten looked up from her notes to a shadow standing over her desk. It was Neji, and her heart sank.

She bit her lip and quickly stood up in surprise. "Hyuuga-kun, if this is about yesterday, I-I'm really sorry, i-it was an accident…"

Neji's face was as impassive as ever. Tenten knew this was a death sentence in the making.

It was all her fault really, for not paying attention and tripping down all those stairs, only to land upon the Ice King. One glare from Hyuuga Neji would damn the poor victim for eternity. Teachers barely stood up to him, not that he really did anything out of line; the guy was pure, unbridled genius, and even greater power. Not that he was terrible to look at either, he had his fair share of fan girls in the school, but his aura of human ice cube made him a less suitable candidate to the sulking-vengeful (or misinterpreted passion) first place, Uchiha Sasuke. And she, in a moment of idiocy, collided with him. Instead of dying then, she ran.

Tenten started fumbling with her bag, "Hey, I'll pay you, just please…don't kill me."

She spoke the last part in a whisper as Neji began to raise a hand. And in a swift moment his arm was up, the entire class gasped, and Tenten scrunched her face in anticipation.

Nothing happened.

She opened one eye to see the large, yet bandaged hand of Hyuuga Neji straight in her face.

"Look."

If Tenten thought she was going to die, even her soul wouldn't make it. Her head began to feel dizzy, she was going to pass out…

"I'm not going to kill you."

Wait. There was hope for salvation.

"This is my writing hand, so you're going to have to take my notes until it heals, Tenten-san."

No. This was hell.

_And how did Hyuuga-kun know her name?

* * *

_

"Poor Tenten-chan," Sakura sighed, watching the short bun-haired girl attempting to follow the long strides of the sulking Neji.

"How long has it been?" Ino popped her gum. "Three days, four days? Why isn't she a hollow shell of a being?"

"It's been a week and a half, and I have no idea how. Not only does she have to deal with him after school, Hyuuga-kun also takes those accelerated classes with Sasuke-kun, so he had her moved up so she could take the notes."

"Mm… Sasuke-kun."

The two girls halted their stream of thought to marvel at the incognito picture they took of Sasuke in their books.

"Anyway," Sakura said, closing her notebook. "Tenten-chan is so busy trying to catch up in those classes, how does she even survive with the Ice King down her back?"

Ino pondered, chewing her gum loudly.

"I gotta say though, maybe it's my imagination, but Hyuuga-kun looks like he's having fun."

"Definitely your imagination."

* * *

Tenten let out a breath of relief, dropping the pencil. "Finished!" she smiled happily to herself, before realizing that there was someone else still in the room. She blushed in sheer embarrassment. Neji had said her notes weren't neat enough, so he had her stay after school and recopy them.

He looked up from the novel he was reading, and held up his good hand. She passed him the notes, and he skimmed them.

"Adequate."

"You know… Hyuuga-kun, you don't have to stay here with me as I recopy this…"

Neji looked up and frowned. Tenten almost flinched.

"I-I mean I'm sure you have something more important to do than keep me company."

He just shrugged. "I want to."

Tenten blinked. Was that a statement of legitimate sentiment? Did he actually want to sit here in this empty classroom and watch this silly girl scribe notes for the second time since they were too messy in the first place?

"How's your hand?"

"Fine. Do you understand all this material?"

Surprise #2. Neji actually gave a damn of how she was adjusting to the accelerated class? Should she ask… No that was pushing the limit.

"Uhhh… kind of."

The rather handsome boy raised an brow. Tenten looked down at her fingers, and her eyes seemed to wander to his long, lean hands. His right hand was bandaged perfectly, and she felt a little bit bad that he was injured, rather than fearing for her life. Then, instead of getting up and leaving, Neji leaned in towards her, laying the notes flat between them. Tenten breathed in his faint smell of fresh linen.

And in more words than she knew he could speak in one moment, he explained the exact topic she had been mind boggled all morning. It made complete and utter sense rather than the whole jumble Gai-sensei had shouted enthusiastically.

"Oh wow, now that you look at it this way, the answer is simple!" Tenten laughed, looking up to find Neji very, very close to her face. She leaned back, flushing scarlet for the second time in a span of ten minutes.

"That's all for today," Neji said finally. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And in one fluid motion, he gathered the papers and was out of the room, leaving Tenten to listen to the loud thumping of her heart.

* * *

Neji looked at the notes she had taken that day. It was impressively neat and comprehensive, almost rivaling his own (and admittedly messy) notes. She had written in the margins little tricks to remember things, and her last word was finished with a flourish.

He remembered that genuine smile on her face when she finished.

He flexed his right hand and smirked. He wondered how much longer he would have to play this game until she got the picture…

* * *

_Notes: Oh Neji, you so calculating._


	17. Soft Lips

Neji was mad. Well, as much as his features would let him. To most he looked rather calm, albeit the frown. But obviously since they were among ninja, the aura he radiated sent chills down even Shino's spine. He asked to himself once again, why he was here. Lee, having quickly befriended Naruto, eagerly wanted to go, and Tenten also obliged in case Lee got any drop of alcohol. Therefore, here was Neji sitting around a circle with tipsy shinobi and having a shitty time.

The blond idiot obviously, was oblivious to Neji's irritation. His little reunion involved a little game of probability and guts. Drawing sticks, dares.

The girls were giddy, even though Sasuke wasn't here, but the idea of a little dare was rather appealing, especially with the growing attractiveness of the boys they used to chide. The more rowdy of the boys, thrown straight in the peaks of puberty glanced hungrily over at the over-numbered girls. Neji caught a few eyes staring a bit too long at Tenten and his attempts at peace and meditation were even more aggravated.

Obviously, the boys refused to do anything weird in a sexual way with another boy. They instead allowed themselves to be wedgied by an overtly excited Chouji, caked in the face, mimic Lee's proclamation of youth (poor, poor Kiba) and even beaten (in Shikamaru's case). Therefore, Naruto divided the sticks into two piles for his next dare.

His smirk reached ear to ear. "Next, whoever both gets twelve will _kiss_ for 10 seconds, dattebayo!"

Sakura and Ino squealed in protest, quickly glancing over at the boys in nervous anticipation, Hinata turned bright red, and Tenten only smiled. The girls eagerly took their sticks. Sakura and Ino were quick to voice their losing numbers, Hinata's entire body shook but she had a nine. All eyes fell on Tenten, who looked pensively down at her numbered stick. Her brown eyes looked up and shrugged.

"I guess I have it, then."

* * *

And then our hero remembered of a fantastic little thing he had to his advantage. The Byakugan could easily pick out his winning number. Neji quickly activated it, and there it was, in his black and white world, that little number twelve. He blinked away back into the vibrant colors and smirked. Tenten had caught his eye but her impression wasn't readable. Had she seen him? Shit shit shit.

When Naruto had bounced over to Neji, who reached for that twelve, Naruto halted him.

"You think I wouldn't see, eh, Neji? I saw you use that Byakugan! You just want to kiss Tenten sooo bad!"

Tenten's face turned pink, much to Neji's amusement.

"That's preposterous Uzumaki. You're drunk."

He valiantly fought back a winning grin, which in the next few seconds easily dropped to a frown. Naruto was shuffling the sticks. Behind his back. Now Neji couldn't use his Byakugan or else it was obvious what his plans were.

And now in front of him were jumbled sticks. Which one was twelve? Without hesitating, he grabbed a number.

_Eleven._

Neji cursed fate. As he continued to stare at his terrible, losing stick, Naruto let out a whoop.

"SHINO'S GOT IT."

* * *

Shino's face could turn an impeccable shade of red. All the boys clapped him on the back; the girls were squealing and professing whispered apologies that Tenten had to kiss the bug boy. Tenten giggled nervously, shaking her buns around and shrugging. Everyone else flocked to Tenten, to mentally prepare her. Kiba growled his drunken jealousy.

Neji turned to clap Shino on the back, except it was rather rough. The poor Aburame coughed.

There was a silent agreement between the two men. Aburame took a step back as the boys finally pushed Tenten over.

Neji in one motion wrapped an arm around her waist and lip-locked with the shocked kunoichi. The eyes of every other shinobi in the room bugged out.

"Neji's way past drunk!" Ino shrieked.

"I see tongue!" Kiba barked.

Hinata promptly fainted.

As the chaos was occurring, Aburame Shino smirked behind his collar. He thumbed the money in his pocket. This was enough to pay for a new bug nest.


End file.
